Suckler weanling advice events set for 3 marts next week
Ahead of the peak weanling sales season, Animal Health Ireland (AHI) is hosting three events at marts in the west of Ireland next week.
According to AHI, the events aim to offer farmers practical advice and tips to "ensure calves are in top health for the sales".
The series is titled: 'Weanling Week – Worth Their Weight in Gold' and the events are supported by AIB.
The events will all commence at 7:30p.m and will take place at the following locations on the following dates:
- Roscommon Mart on Monday, August 25;
- Ennis Mart, Co. Clare on Wednesday, August 27;
- Mayo Sligo Mart (Ballina Mart) on Thursday, August 28.
At the events, AHI’s programme managers and local vets will provide veterinary advice on how to manage cows and calves over the weanling period.
The advice is intended to be relevant whether calves are either being sold or retained for breeding.
Each event will be chaired by Eilish Gill from AHI’s Sustainable Parasite Control in grazing ruminants (SPARC) programme.
A representative of AIB will also be on hand to talk to farmers at the events.
Topics will include:
- The importance of knowing the calf’s weight;
- Correct dosing rates and calibration of dosing equipment tips;
- Importance of dung sampling;
- Top pre-housing checks;
- Animal diseases to be aware of;
- Tell-tale signs of a sick animal;
- When to intervene in animal health.
Speaking ahead of the event, Dr. Natascha Meunier, AHI’s Beef HealthCheck Programme Manager, said: “We are looking forward to hosting these important weanling events in the west of Ireland, which has a great pedigree of selling top-class weanlings.
"The weanling season is the most important time of the year for a suckler farmer. Having spent years breeding a good animal and months rearing the calf, it all comes down to the weanling sales.
"With live cattle prices where they are and strong demand in the marts, ensuring that your weanling is the healthiest it can be is critical.
"We will walk farmers through the dos and dont's of protecting their livestock around sales time.
Dr. Meunier added that anyone buying or selling weanlings is encouraged to attend this series run by AHI.
Dr Michelle McGrath, AHI’s CalfCare programme manager, said: "Whether you’re buying or selling weanlings this season, the health of the animal is very important.
"Farmers have worked incredibly hard to rear their calves from birth and they want to ensure that the person who buys them is getting a healthy and thriving animal.
"The difference here comes down to the health management around weanling time. It is also important that the cow is managed correctly over the period to ensure she has time over the winter to recover.”
